Moments Like This
by Anjirika
Summary: –Ficlett– A little story of what happens when Elizabeth goes off world. PLZ R


Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, even though I wish that they did. I am merely borrowing them for the time being….

Stargate Atlantis

Season III

Sparky Ship

**Moments Like This**

"Are we ready to send the malp?" Elizabeth asked as she stood over Rodney's shoulder in the control room of Atlantis.

"Yes, of course."

"Then, why don't we get going McKay?" John asked coming over and leaning over McKay's shoulder as well.

"What?" Rodney asked coming out of a temporary daze, then he looked from Elizabeth to John and his mind processed what they had been saying. "Oh, right. Sending malp/"

"Malp on route," Zelenka stated from his station as the machine entered the gate.

"Tell me again, why are we sending out a malp?" John asked to Elizabeth while the malp was on route. "After three years, it seems a little odd….especially after we lost that first one."

"Receiving transmission," Zelenka stated again causing Rodney to peer over his shoulder and eventually push Zelenka out of the way and study the readings himself.

"Well, with the Asurians and the Wraith out there, I wanted to send out a technology that neither of them has seen before." Elizabeth explained with a smile to John. "And neither of them has seen the malp. Hopefully they won't make the connection between it and us."

"Kinda risky, isn't it?" John asked, cocking his head to one side and looking at Elizabeth with a concerned look.

"Yes, but-"

"We have an image." Rodney interrupted causing both John and Elizabeth to peer at the laptop screen.

"Well," John stated looking at an image of a dense, misty rainforest. "Looks-peaceful."

"Yes," Elizabeth agreed, even though she figured that the bugs would be hell. "Any life sign's Rodney."

"Oh, lots." Rodney muttered as he deciphered the readings. "But they look like mainly plant and animal life."

"Nothing of real interest Dr. Weir," Zelenka added, taking a break from trying to see around Rodney and looking at his expedition leader.

"I see." Elizabeth stated with a subtle nod of her head. "Any power readings then? The database did say that this planet was an ancient outpost at one time."

"True," Rodney muttered again. "But with a forest this thick, it's unlikely that…." Rodney's screen beeped and he paused, it beeped again and he processed the information.

'That what McKay?" John asked with slight annoyance.

"Shh," Rodney shushed with a wave of his hand in John's direction. Zelenka looked from John to Rodney and then from Rodney to the laptop screen and his eyes widened too. "Zelenka do you see-"

"Yes, yes!"

"Do you think that it-" Rodney began again only to be cut off by Zelenka again.

"Yes, yes. It defiantly is that."

"You know," John began, whispering to Elizabeth. "I still can't get over when those two do that."

"I know what you mean." Elizabeth whispered back with a smile, then a little louder she addressed the two scientists. "Rodney, Zelenka, what have you found?"

"What? Oh, right." Rodney shook his head and turned the laptop to Elizabeth and John and pointed proudly. "Take a look at those readings."

"I'm not a scientist Rodney," Elizabeth explained. "What do they mean?"

"This is the output of energy on this planet." Rodney explained pointing to the red line that was fluxuating wildly above a lower bluer line.

"And what is that lower line?" John asked, knowing that what ever those two lines represented, the output difference was quite extraordinary.

"That is the out put of an average ZedPM." Rodney explained proudly.

"Really?" Elizabeth asked in awe.

"Yes." Zelenka confirmed.

"So, that means that something on that planet is emitting an energy signature that is far more powerful than a ZPM?" John asked, a mission coming to mind.

"Yes."

"Rodney," Elizabeth asked taking a closer look at the energy signatures. "Do you think that there is a civilization within the vicinity of the Stargate?"

"Well, with reading like this….I'd be pretty surprised if there wasn't one."

"How far do you figure?" John asked, stepping closer to the laptop and Elizabeth.

"I'd say a day or so walk." Zelenka chipped in.

"No more than an hour." Rodney countered.

"We wouldn't even have to take a jumper." John said with excitement.

"Uh, no." Rodney stated with a frown. "From our other readings, it seems that this jungle is very dense. And I don't mean your average forest dense I mean, dense, dense. So dense that walking a mile in a straight line would result in a bout three miles of walking because you have to go up and down and around trees and-"

"Okay, okay, I get it Rodney." John agreed reluctantly. "We take a jumper."

"Do you think there will be somewhere to land?" Elizabeth asked looking up from the laptop to Rodney.

"Oh, I'm sure of it." Rodney replied with a giddy, child like smile. "A power out put this large means that there must be a big city near bye. I'm sure that once we are above the tree line, we'll be able to see this city."

"Well Elizabeth," John began turning to his leader. "Sounds like a mission."

"I agree." Elizabeth responded with a smile.

"Great. I'll go get Teyla and Ronan and-"

"Hang on a minute John." Elizabeth interrupted; her eye gleaming with excitement. "I'm coming with you."

"You're serious," Rodney muttered. "After what happened last time?"

"McKay…." John warned as Elizabeth gave him a dirty look. John snickered at this momentarily but then turned his attention back to Elizabeth. "I hate to say it Elizabeth but the last time you went though the gate with us, things didn't go so well."

"I'm well aware of that John, but if the people of this great civilization are friendly, negotiations should start immediately."

"If you insist," John sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I do."

"Great, then uh- I'll go assemble my team."

"I'll go suit up." Elizabeth stated and the two of them went their separate ways leaving Rodney to mutter about how Elizabeth was a jinx on missions.

John and his team were in Puddle Jumper 1. He was piloting with Elizabeth beside him. Rodney and Teyla were in the back and Ronan was standing at the back of the cockpit. They descended down into the gateroom, ready to go on their mission.

"Ok Zelenka." John said through his communicator. "Dial it up."

The gate started dialling and the wormhole 'whooshed' and John made the last preparations to go through the gate. Once he was satisfied he pressed his ear communication device again and spoke to Zelenka.

"Alright, Puddle Jumper 1 ready to launch."

"Colonel Caldwell," Elizabeth joined in over the comm., "You're in charge until we get back."

"Understood." Came the stingy reply of Caldwell. "Have fun."

"Will do," Elizabeth answered with a smile. "John, I think that we are ready now."

"Of course," John replied with a smile of his own. "Off we go."

The puddle jumper carrying John's team and Elizabeth exited the gate on the alien planet and instantly flew above the tree line. As far as any of them could see there were trees, lots and lots of trees. The expanse of it all made all of them fall silent for a moment, however once the moment was over John began pestering Rodney.

"Alright McKay, where is this great civilization that you promised us?"

"Uh," Rodney stuttered as he looked at his controls. "Surely you're getting some energy readings...aren't you?"

"Well," John was interrupted when the screen in front of him lit up and showed a map of the surrounding area. In the distance about 8 miles from where they were hovering were some mountains and beyond that a light blinked. "I guess, that's our civilization,"

"Yes." Rodney agreed nervously. "That must be it."

"So much for no more then an hour McKay," Ronan muttered looking at Rodney dejectedly.

"Alright, so Zelenka's calculations were closer than mine. But in this jumper there really is no difference."

"Can we please get underway?" Teyla asked interrupting the pending argument.

"Yes." Elizabeth agreed. "John, can we head towards the other side of those mountains?"

"Of course," John replied with a smile and he began piloting the jumper to the desired co-ordinates.

The jumper soon arrived at the co-ordinates but there was no sign of the civilization that Rodney had promised them. John mumbled something un-definable under his breath and began a standard sweeping pattern. It was hours later and Rodney was totally confused at why they had found nothing, and he kept insisting that they had found it.

"So McKay," John began trying desperately hard to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "Where is this advanced civilization that you promised us?"

"I don't know." Rodney admitted with a frown. "I don't understand it. By my initial calculations, and your readings, we should have found it already."

"Yet, we have not." Teyla interjected.

"Yes I know but,"

"But nothing," Ronan interrupted. "Looks like this was nothing but a wild goose chase McKay…perhaps we should head back now."

"Yes, lets." John agreed, piloting the jumper back to the location of the Stargate.

"No!" Rodney protested leaning forward in his seat. "It has to be around here somewhere, I mean it should be all around us."

"But it's not." John countered circling a certain batch of trees for a moment.

"I know that it's not but…." Rodney was cut off when a loud bang, rang through out the ship and the controls began blinking wildly.

"What?" Elizabeth asked looking around in a slight panic. "What is going on?"

"Looks like we his something." John muttered through gritted teeth as he tried to steer the jumper away from the impending canopy.

"Or something hit us." Teyla offered grabbing her seat.

"Yes." Ronan agreed. "But what?"

"I don't know what." Rodney interjected. "Sheppard, watch the canopy."

"I know McKay." John chastised as he began to loose control. With a frustrated groan he hit the controls and tried again to pull the jumper out of it's dive.

"John?" Came the timid voice of Elizabeth Weir as they were going down.

"Alright gang," John stated as cheerfully as he could. "Brace for impact."

The sight of the nearing canopy was the last thing any of them remembered as the jumper went down.

Ronan was the first one to awake. He was laying on the floor of the back compartment but as he did a mental check of his body he found some things bruised but nothing broken. He groaned a little as he got up, but with the lights of the jumper flickering erratically he saw that he was indeed the first one of his team to awake.

Teyla was the next closed to him for she has been thrown out of her seat and into the doorway that separated the cockpit from the back. Gently he leaned down and softly tapped her on the cheek causing her to stir.

"Teyla?" He asked helping to pull his friend to a sitting position. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." Teyla muttered opening her eyes.

"Nothing broken?"

"No," Teyla confirmed shaking her head. "Just a few bruised bones I think, Ronan, what of the rest of the team?"

"I don't know." Ronan admitted. "I haven't gotten to them yet. McKay is still in his chair."

"Rodney?" Teyla asked going up to her friend and shaking him on his shoulder. "Rodney are you alright?"

"Wh-what?" Rodney muttered, getting shocked out of his sleepy state. "What happened?"

"It appears that we crashed." Ronan stated.

"I know that." Rodney replied with a wince as he struggled to sit properly in his seat. "But what caused it?"

"I do not know." Teyla admitted. "Rodney, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah." Rodney muttered with a wave of his hand. "No broken bones, just a mongo headache….what about Sheppard and Elizabeth."

"We have not gotten to them yet." Teyla admitted. She smiled at Rodney and made her way to John who was already stirring. "Colonel?"

"Teyla?" John asked with a groan as he picked himself up from the control panel that he had been sprawled out of. "What happened?"

"We crashed." Came the harsh reply of McKay.

"I figured that out Rodney." John spat back rubbing his temple. "Is everything alright?"

"Everyone is fine Colonel." Teyla comforted.

"Well, Elizabeth is still out cold." Ronan added, noting to himself that the mention of Elizabeth being hurt was like adrenaline to John who instantly pushed his way past Teyla and leaned over his fallen leader who was slumped over the control panel like he was.

"Elizabeth?" John whispered gently pulling Elizabeth up and leaning her against the back of the chair. "Elizabeth are you al-oh no."

"Oh no?" Rodney asked from behind Teyla and Ronan. "What 'oh no'?"

"It seems that Elizabeth has a head injury." Teyla explained rushing into the back compartment to grab the medical kit and giving it to John who instantly began cleaning the cut on her forehead.

"Is she going to be alright?" Ronan asked with a not often heard soft tone in his voice.

"I don't know." John admitted, with a touch of worry in his voice.

"We have to do something." Rodney argued.

"The colonel knows that Rodney." Teyla stated with a frown in Rodney's direction.

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Alright," John interjected standing up and facing his team. "This is what we are going to do. Teyla, Ronan- you two try and make it back to the gate. McKay, see what you can do to get this jumper flying again."

"What about you?" Ronan asked lowing the backdoor of the jumper. "What are you going to do Sheppard?"

"I will try and get Elizabeth to wake up and stay awake." John explained, sitting beside Elizabeth and continuing his work on the gash on her forehead.

"Why?" Ronan asked as Teyla joined him in the rear of the jumper.

"She, unlike the rest of us probably has a very bad concussion." John explained continuing with his work. "I have to wake her up and keep her awake till we can get Carson out here or till we can get her back to Atlantis."

"If she remains asleep she could slip into a coma." Rodney explained gathering his diagnostic tools and heading into the back of the jumper- noticing that Ronan and Teyla were not going anywhere. "Shouldn't you two get going?"

"Of course," Teyla agrees pushing Ronan out of the jumper, before relaying one last thing to John. "We will stay in radio contact for as long as we can."

"Understood," John muttered as he bandaged Elizabeth's head, slightly concerned as the blood seeped through the gauze and he had to begin again. Once he had finally managed to cauterise the wound, he began his task of waking up Elizabeth. "Come on Elizabeth," He muttered softly shaking her arms. "You need to wake up now. Come on, Elizabeth you need too-"

"John?" She murmured, shifting slightly in her chair.

"Wow, that was fast." Rodney remarked stopping working in the jumper.

"Rodney get back to work." John chastised before turning his attention back to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth? Are you there?"

"Ugh!" Elizabeth moaned, her eyes fluttering open slightly. "Of course I am here." She whispered quietly, her voice hoarse and dry. "What happened?"

"We ran into something." John explained as he helped her drink some water from his canteen. "Don't know what, but it caused us to go down."

"The rest of your team….?" She asked weakly struggling to look around.

"Ronan and Teyla have started back to the gate," John began explaining pushing Elizabeth back into the seat. "Rodney, is attempting to fix this jumper and I am looking after you."

"So everyone is fine then?"

"Yes." John nodded with a slight smile. "Everyone one is fine; except for you."

"What happened to me?" Elizabeth asked, her eye-lids getting heavier.

"I think that you have a serious concussion so I-" John began when he saw that Elizabeth was starting to drift off. "Hey, hey…!" He shook her and caused her to wake again. "You need to stay awake Elizabeth. You have a very serious concussion. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Elizabeth whispered, stifling a cough. "But I'm so sleepy."

"Sleepy?" Rodney muttered to himself, and even though John heard what Rodney had muttered he chose to ignore it.

"I know." John soothed taking Elizabeth's hand and squeezing it for comfort. "But you need to stay awake."

"Stay awake." Elizabeth repeated weakly with a slight nod of her head. "I need to stay awake."

"Right." John agreed, trying to lighten the mood with a smile. "You are good at that, aren't you?" He asked, remembering all the times that he had found her awake in her office, pouring over mission reports or working on her own.

"Yes." Elizabeth admitted. "But only under certain circumstances. In college, I could never pull an all nighter."

"When did you start?" John asked, figuring that if he kept her talking she would stay awake more easily.

"On my first diplomatic mission," Elizabeth explained with a smile as she recounted that first encounter with politics. "It was between two feuding nations, and my boss didn't want the talks to take more than 72 hours, so the first night I stayed awake thinking of ways to get the two sides to compromise."

"Did you stay within the time limit?"

"No," Elizabeth replied with a weak laugh. "I have been tired the next day that while the two delegates were arguing I almost nodded off."

"What happened?" John asked, laughing himself.

"They decided to give me a day to rest." Elizabeth finished, her eyes fluttering shut again- but this time she managed to wrench them open again. "Instead of three days it took four."

"Ah," John stated knowingly. "That must have been embarrassing for you."

"Oh, yes." Elizabeth replied with a smile as she looked over her shoulder and talked to McKay. "How's it coming Rodney?"

"Surprisingly well actually," Rodney muttered clicking away between the control panel in the back and his data pad. "I've had lots of practice with fixing these things on the fly."

"That's for sure." John whispered to Elizabeth with a laugh. "How much longer till it's fixed?"

"Uh- hard to say…."

"Give me an arbitrary number."

"What is with you and arbitrary numbers?" Rodney shot back, taking a pause in his work for moment. "I mean honestly…."

"He's military Rodney." Elizabeth explained, her voice getting stronger. "They like having a timeline."

"Oh, and scientists don't?"

"Of course you do Rodney." John explained with a smile. "It's just that you sub-consciously know what is going on and how long it will take- and us mere mortals want to get inside your heads."

"Ha, Ha- very funny." Rodney muttered with a sarcastic grin on his face. "Ok, you want a number, I'll give you a number- half an hour."

"Half an hour?"

"Yes," Rodney confirmed to John. "Half an hour."

"Can't you go any quicker?" John asked slightly annoyed that it would take so long.

"Well, maybe if you stopped hounding me."

"Rodney-" Elizabeth soothed. "Please get back to work."

"Right." Rodney nodded, getting back to work.

John chuckled and turned to face Elizabeth who grinned at them. Things had not gone according to plan, but they both knew that it would work out in the end. Either Ronan and Teyla would return with another jumper first, or Rodney would fix the puddle jumper that they were in. They just brushed off the situation and realised that it was the moments like that, which counted the most.

Fin

A/N- Another little ficlett (much longer than a drabble) that I've been meaning up update again since August. This one was going to be an entire episode length but it just didn't work out that way. I hope you guys enjoyed it anyways...it's just a ficlett of another day off world for Elizabeth...anyone else noticed the trend that when she goes off world things seem to go astray? I know I have, hence where the ficlett came from. But please review and please read and review my other fics, if you have the time of course.


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